Family

Issues

Note

NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT, WHICH REPLACES THE ENTIRE TEXT OF THE LEGISLATION WITH A NEW TEXT. THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE SUBSTITUTE BILL TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE TEXT CAN VARY GREATLY.

NOTE: THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO A NON-BINDING CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION THAT SETS THE FUNDING LEVEL FOR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING. IT IS NOT SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT AND THEREFORE DOES NOT HOLD THE WEIGHT OF LAW, BUT IS USED AS A GUIDE FOR CONGRESS AS IT PASSES THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION AND OTHER BILLS.

Stage Details

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote to adopt an amendment that sets the budget outlays for 2008 through 2013 at $15 trillion and estimates the federal revenue for 2008 through 2013 at $13 trillion.

Highlights:

Sets the following new budget authorities for 2008 through 2013 in major funding categories:

$3.56 trillion for National Defense;

$2.79 trillion for Medicare;

$2.48 trillion for Income Security;

$2.33 trillion for Net Interest;

$2.02 trillion for Health;

$803.43 billion for Allowances;

$584.75 billion for Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services;

$582.64 billion for Veteran's Benefits and Services;

$466.65 billion for Transportation;

$290.57 billion for Administration of Justice;

$216.63 billion for International Affairs;

$205.96 billion for Natural Resources and Environment;

$172.85 billion for General Science, Space and Technology;

$160.96 billion for General Government;

$155.31 billion for Social Security;

$132.48 billion for Agriculture;

$95.75 billion for Community and Regional Development;

$56.15 billion for Commerce and Housing Credit; and

$23.11 billion for Energy.

Establishes a moratorium on the consideration of bills containing earmarks in the House of Representatives for the remainder of 2008. (Sec. 301).

Establishes the Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform (composed of members appointed by the Senate Majority Leader, the House of Representatives and Senate Minority Leaders, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives) which will be charged with completing a study of the practices of the House, Senate, and executive branch regarding earmarks and providing a report of the findings of the study to the House of Representatives and Senate no later than six months after the adoption of H Con Res 312 (Sec. 302).

Calls for the pursuit of medical liability reform as a means to endeavor towards domestic entitlement reform involving limiting the growth of Medicare and Medicaid "to ensure their long-term viability" (Sec. 413).

Calls for the phasing out of the Alternative Minimum Tax (Sec. 416).

Prohibits the consideration of any bill, joint resolution, or conference report that would increase the budget deficit (Sec. 701).